At 30 years old, Washington was just the starting kick returner for the NFC Pro Bowl squad, having finished third in the NFL last season with 29.0 yards per kickoff return for Seattle. But his spot on the Seahawks roster vanished Tuesday when the team traded for wide receiver Percy Harvin, who also will fill the kick-returning role in Seattle.

Washington spent three years with the Seahawks, and in his first season (2010) legged out three kick-return touchdowns — repeating a feat he first accomplished in 2007, his second year in the NFL, when he was with the New York Jets. He had one kick-return TD in 2012, and is currently tied with Josh Cribbs for the most return TDs in NFL history with eight.

As a Jet in 2008, Washington was both All-Pro and a Pro Bowler, and led the league with 2,337 all-purpose yards.

“He did a phenomenal job here,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said Tuesday. “He’s such a pro; he handled it with great class when Pete (Carroll) and I sat down with him and told him what we’re doing.